Tiger Of Apollo
by RapunzelInTheSnow
Summary: Tigris Matthews. Half Blood. Pain in the butt. The daughter of Apollo, she has a smart mouth, and a pair of claws...literally. Arden, the satyr, has to babysit her at the camp, and she will cause trouble at levels Jackson never dreamed to reach/ wasn't stupid enough to go to. Read and review! Hope you like new cover image!
1. Meet The Tiger

I think I was the first to speak my thoughts.

"This does not look good." I turned to the guy beside me as we hung over the mountain. I gave him the nasty look I usually reserve for parents and teachers. "You said we would be just fine and then you drove us over a freakin' cliff."

He gulped. "I did not mean to do that. It was an accident."

I narrowed the nasty look. "You drive like you haven't driven before."

"Well, no. I haven't really driven before." He quailed. I sighed and offered my hand to him. This dude was weird. Admittedly so was I, and my life was a weird fest of epic proportions, but who the hell drives a car when they haven't driven before?

He took my hand and I swung him over, before pulling myself up.

"You go to my school." I stated, staring him down. He nodded fast.

"But you only came recently. Who the hell are you?"

He took his cap off. Two little horns prodded through the curly hair and I slumped. "Oh, no way. I've met you guys before. Why should I go to some stupid camp? I can keep myself alive, thank you so very freakin' much."

He gaped. "But, but you don't have any celestial bronze!"

I snorted. "Sure I do. I took some off of an Ares kid who decided to bother me. He merely tried to punch me. You win the dumbass award. You drove me over a cliff." I produced my bagh nahk, and slipped them over my hands. The claw-like spikes were something I'd grown accustomed to. I growled and flexed my hands.

The satyr started to run and I felt a bit mean. He wasn't a threat, after all. I didn't need to show the claws to him.

I whistled. "Hey, Goatie! You know, I'm not angry about that. I saw that monster thing." And boy had it been a scary monster. A weird lady with snake legs who the satyr had told me to run from. I tried to clear my mind and focus on the monsters I'd seen before. I tried shouting to the satyr again. He was already too far to hear me. I slapped my palm against my head, catching myself on the tiger clawed weapon.

Only one option. Run like a madwoman after him and pray really hard no one sees me. I ran fast, soon catching up to him.

"Yo, Goat! Not going to hurt you!" I puffed, my burst of speed catching up with _me. _I gritted my teeth and ran alongside him. "I only use these on monsters that attack me and you saved my butt today. I'm Tigris. Tigris Matthews."

He stopped, bleating and looked at me. "Don't use those on me!"

"I won't! Okay, I'm sorry!" I took them off and stuck them in my jeans.

"So why should I go to this stupid camp?" I asked him.

"You are in such danger. Only little monsters found you before. You barely escaped!"

I had to agree. The goat really had saved my butt, and I didn't manage to dust the dragon lady.

The dragon lady still probably looking for us.

This thought hit me and I dragged him along, running. "She's so going to look for us. She's still out there." He got my drift and panicked, passing out.

Oh, friggin' sweet petunias. I had no way to carry him and we would be dragon lady dessert in no time at this rate.

"Yo, Tin Breath! Wake up!" I began to panic and hit myself on the head. "Come on… think!"

But no way could I think. It was like my brain melted or something. I was either going to scream, which seemed like a good option, or…

Well.

No other option.

Stupid brain. I opened my mouth and suddenly the satyr woke up. "Tin!"

I gave him a look.

"Okay, so maybe we might need to really run." He flung me over a shoulder and I bit him.

"Ow!" I retracted my teeth and he began to run.

"Put me down!"

"Can you run?"

"Of course I can run! I can run fast!"

He dumped me on the ground. "Then run!"

I ran. I felt a stir of fear again, and ran all the faster.

/

We came to a high street. We must have doubled back somehow, but this didn't worry the goat boy. He dropped a coin in the street, waiting confidently. A screech sounded and a taxi reared up. Three little old ladies were driving.

"Grey Sisters. We have got to go _now."_

I agreed, catching a glimpse of green skin and jumping in the taxi. The crones at the wheel cackled.

"Step on it!"

My stomach dropped like I was on a rollercoaster. "Don'tletusbecaughtbythepolice,don'tletusbestopped …" I prayed at the top of my voice. The satyr screeched at one sharp turn and hugged my arm.

"Um."

I concentrated on the road. The camp had better be worth this.


	2. I like Dragons, but maybe not that one

It was epic.

I stood there. And stared.

"Hey, Arden, is that the new kid?"

The satyr grinned. "Yes, this is Tigris."

I stood staring at this epic dragon and gave a huge sigh.

"Is she okay?" A boy came up to me and prodded my arm. "Yo. Are you okay?"

I looked at him and growled. He backed off and shook his head. "What's your problem?"

"I have no problem. Be a dear and sod off, would you?"

I continued staring at the dragon, and a blonde came up to me. "All right, Miss Attitude, why don't we take you on a tour?"

"I'm happy where I'm at. What's this dragon's name?" I pointed and gave another sigh.

"Peleus. Come on, tiger." She pulled my arm and I looked at her. Most blondes are fluffy, but this one was like steel, complete with grey eyes. I decided not to cross her, and complied.

"Any idea who your parent might be?"

I thought about it.

"Maybe Ares. But my mom was fierce as anything, and apparently I have a hereditary temper."

I gave a huge grin. "But I honestly don't know." I stuck my tongue out.

"Well, you should probably be claimed soon. I'm Annabeth."

We came over a hill and there were all these houses. Huts. Cabins.

"You'll stay in one of these. If it's Ares, Ares cabin. If not, Hermes cabin, although they steal anything that isn't nailed down, then they'll steal the nails and steal what you nailed down."

I laughed. "Well, I don't think I want that." I raised my head up. "Hear that, Dad? Claim me or the tiger will not be happy."

Annabeth grinned at me. "You really are something else."

"Ah, code for huge pain in the butt."

She snickered. "Yes. It is. You know what, you're a pain, but you make me laugh. Reminds me of a certain seaweed brain."

I frowned. "What now?"

"Ah, it's an in joke."

I sighed. Great. A boy rushed up to us. "Annabeth!"

She turned. "Hey, Seaweed Brain!"

I took a look at him. He seemed a bit…

…

Odd. He had sea coloured eyes, and looked normal, but there was this aura around him.

"You'll be on a journey. Far away."

They looked at me. "What did you say? I didn't hear you." Annabeth frowned at me.

I covered my mouth. "Nothing. I just started to sing."

Percy winked at me, and I tutted. I fervently wished he hadn't heard, because I just knew this journey would break Annabeth's heart.

"Oh Zeus. Look," breathed Annabeth. She pointed up and I looked up trying to see. I was bathed in a golden light, and I began to shriek. "What? What is it?"

A man's voice came from behind me. "Hail, Tigris Matthews, daughter of Apollo." I whipped around. "You took your time in coming." The centaur grinned at me.

I felt a horrified expression creep onto my face. "What? Have I just been…"

"Claimed, my dear, and you prophesied something. I wonder if you knew."

I snarled at him. "No. I won't let it happen. I won't!"

"Calm down. Please."

I breathed slowly.

"Now, Annabeth, would you fetch Will?" Annabeth hared towards a golden cabin, and Percy grinned while Chiron looked me up and down.

"Hm. You have blonde hair, and a strong build. An archer's build." He smiled at me and I frowned. "Who's Will?"

"Head of Apollo Cabin. And your half-brother."

I reeled. Siblings? I had never had any. How the hell was I meant to deal with lots at once? I shivered. For a brief moment I felt like running away.

"WHAT?"

A blonde, tanned boy raced out of the golden cabin. "You. You!"

"Oh, it's Dear Sod!"

"My name is Will! You're my sister. No, no, no way!"

Somehow it didn't sound like he meant that in a good way. I ducked my head.

"Will, please help your sister get settled in." Chiron said warningly.

He huffed and I winced. This was not at all good. He shoved me towards the gold cabin. "Come on!"

I gritted my teeth and raced down the hill. I was faster than he was. I was Tigris, and I was an athlete. I made it to the door fifteen seconds before him.

"Not so quick, are you, Solace? All talk, nothing underneath."

I looked around and saw it was all shiny inside. Solace grabbed my arm. "You should be nicer to people. I have never known anyone so thorny."

I sagged. This guy should try to get on better with people - scratch that, he should have let me stare at the dragon until I got bored. He so didn't want me at this cabin.

"Dear Sod, please give it a rest. You think I don't know that I'm a pain in the butt?" He shoved me inside and I half fell.

"Tigris here is your new sister. You can have that bunk." He pointed and I strode confidently over to the fold out bed and pulled it out. The watching campers turned away. I saw a couple of other bunks with flowers on them and I bit my lip. Lost ones.

I sighed and unpacked my backpack. "I would love a tour, but I'll make my way around, thanks."

I headed out the door with my music player and as soon as I was out of sight ran for the hills. I hated it here. Apart from the dragon, Percy, Arden and Annabeth, it was a miserable place.

I ran into the woods and started to cry. I hated it here. I wanted to go back to my mom, let her know I was okay, be comforted as I lost yet another person because I was incapable of actually being nice to them.

I began to actually shake with crying, tears rolling down my cheeks and splashing the ground and curled up, music player unused in my hand.

The tears actually hurting my gut now, I just lay crying, like I used to when I was little.

Mom. She probably didn't know where I was, and after the whole Jake thing, she would be looking for me.

Will didn't like me, and I desperately wanted him to. I actually wanted the Apollo guys to like me. And no way in hell did they.

I cried, remembering the flowers on the bunks. Why, oh why, was my instinct to be rude to everyone? I mean, it never earned me friends. My family even kept me and my terrific temper at bay, Mom being the only one who actually liked me.

I felt that pain in my gut again, as I cried.

"He will… break her heart… when the wolf claims her due,

When the ancient houses collide,

And all half-bloods shall come to rue…" I covered my mouth and almost choked, the last line dragged from me.

"The matriarch's bitter pride."

I scratched long marks in my arms as the prophecy tore itself from me. "Leave me alone! Don't you have an oracle?" I sat up, and rocked back and forth.

"Leave me out of it. I don't want to prophesy. I've got those other talents, and I never use them, do you see? I don't want to be a half-blood."

A hand landed on my shoulder. I turned and a dryad stood there.

"I heard you. What was that? We all heard you."

"Leave me alone." I turned my back on her and she vanished, as footsteps raced through the forest.

"Tigris?"

I swore quietly, scrambling up a tree. I didn't want Will here, finding me in tears.

"Okay, Miss Dryad, it was a prophecy. Don't give me away." My whisper hung in the air but she didn't appear, so I guess she forgave me.

"TIGRIS!"

I flattened myself against the branch of the tree.

"There's a big automaton dragon in these woods! You have to come, you might get eaten!"

I quivered. Excuse me, but I liked dragons.

He suddenly gave a yelp and raced towards where I was. The tree began to shake.

"TIGRIS! COME ON, YOU HAVE TO MOVE!"

I slid down from the tree. "I like dragons."

"What is wrong with you?" He spotted the tears and sighed, before crushing me into a hug. I tensed.

I never really got hugged. I relaxed very slowly as he patted my back.

"You're my sister. You can't cry." Will said gruffly and I looked up at him.

Then I nearly had a heart attack.

Hugging him back, I whispered very slowly, "Look at me. Don't turn around. We are going to take a small step backwards, or in your case forwards."

Will frowned, and turned around. I let him go, and growled. "The one thing I told you not to do!"

The dragon snarled and I slipped my claws from my pocket. "Run!" I sliced at the dragon, scratching its nose then following Will as we ran for it.

"Oh, we are going to die!" screamed Will.

I ran behind him. "Sodly Brother! How good are you with losing your dignity?"

"What?"

I grinned. "I actually don't care!" I ran in front of him and heaved his legs up, forcing him to cling to my neck. Grabbing his shield I threw it in front of us and dragged us into a running jump to land heavily on it sending it skidding down the hill.

We screamed as we slid down the hill, racing through and landing in a crumpled heap outside our cabin, shocking everyone into silence.

"Hey guys," I grinned sheepishly, "what's up?"

Will dusted himself off before helping me up. "Never do that again."

Well, I wasn't holding my own hands as we sped down that hill. I guess I could give him that.

**Reviews? Thoughts? No flames.**** Festus can beat them.**


	3. The tiger can run away as well

After the whole dragon episode, Will actually started to be nice to me. Not flowers and gift baskets, but being himself, not hating me… that's nice, right?

I threw myself down on the grass, and closed my eyes. The whole thing was exhausting. Percy and Annabeth walked by completely oblivious of me and I crossed my eyes. I was actually feeling pretty happy.

Someone tripped over me and I sat up. "Hey, did you not see the sign saying do not enter the tiger's den?"

It was that satyr. Arden.

"Gods, I'm so sorry. I was just not paying attention…"

"Damn straight you weren't." I glared at him and he frowned.

"What's up with you? You're so prickly."

"Tel it to the strawberry plants. I frankly have other things to worry about than my personality. Like the massive bruise on my leg."

Arden bleated at me angrily and I giggled. It sounded so goaty, if that makes sense, and actually cheered me up.

"So if this is free time, why are you not chasing dryads?"

"I have, um, a girlfriend, but she says to say hi to you." Arden blushed and I laughed out loud, and patted the grass next to me.

He sat down nervously. "She's called Aspen. She's really shy, but she told me to come say hello."

I grinned, and raised my eyebrow. "Tell her hello from me then. I have to go practice my archery, because by Will's standards I'm a rusty shot."

Arden nodded, and looked confused.

"Hey, Apollo!"

A boy of about my age, maybe a year older, came up, angrily.

"What?" I shielded my eyes, glaring. "And the name is Tigris."

He shook a fist at me. "Your brothers shot my basketball!"

I sighed, slowly standing up. "What's it to you?"

"MY BASKET BALL, THEY SHOT IT!"

I narrowed my eyes. This kid had some nerve. "So you decided to take it out on a girl? Come on then, get your own back. I dare you."

He flung the deflated basketball at me, and I caught it. "Rule 1, don't challenge a tiger." I lunged for him, and punched him in the eye.

He growled, flexing his hands and suddenly leapt at me. I kicked him as he was mid leap. "Rule 2, don't leave yourself open to attack."

He groaned, struggling upwards as I walked away. I heard him coming and stepped neatly to the side. "Rule 3," I smirked as he crashed to the ground, "You can never underestimate the opposition."

"That is enough!"

I looked up. "He started it!"

The girl in front of me glared down. "I am finishing it!" She was very tall, with stringy blonde hair and sneered down at me.

"Oh, so he gets away with trying to attack me for no reason?"

"No, but you don't get to fight him for that. Save it for capture the flag, you long ranged weapons wimp!"

I produced my claws. "Is this long ranged then, Miss I can't keep my nose to myself?"

She gaped and stared at them. "That looks like your dagger, Josh."

Her sibling, as I now realised, glared and I realised where I had seen him before.

"Hey, I did kick your ass before! Now I remember!"

The girl shook with anger. "You made his dagger into claws?"

I nodded, and she seemed to have a palpable dark aura. I heard someone laughing and whipped around in surprise.

"Hey, leave her be, Clarisse. He lost to her twice!"

I saw Clarisse's stance change and decided then and there to save the poor dude.

"TACTICAL RETREAT!" I grabbed his hand and we started to run like hell.

See, I now knew who we had both been rude to. Because when I had beaten the Ares kid before, he had warned me about Clarisse coming to get me, and said she hardly ever lost.

"Hey, I'm Jack. From Demeter!"

I gave him a look. "You're headed for trouble. Now I know who that girl is, we are going to run until we reach a safe place to be, and then I'll stay there until I die."

"What about me?" He grinned at me, impishly. "I could become the gatherer."

I smiled in spite of myself. "Oh, so you'd sit in one place and grow stuff, so I'd have to do all the hard work? How stupid do you think I am? Wait, don't answer that."

He laughed and blushed. "You're holding my hand, you know."

It felt like fire poured upwards as I blushed hotly, and dropped his hand. We had reached the cabins and I rushed into Apollo cabin.

Will looked up, and blinked in surprise. "There you are! You didn't come so I came back here, but what's up with your face? You're completely red!"

"Sunburn." I flung myself onto my bunk and my brother came over. "Uh, technically impossible. Children of the sun god can't get sunburn."

"It's just a rash or something!" I felt my face burn up again and Will began to laugh.

"You, Tigris, are blushing. You are!"

I covered my face. "I am an idiot. Why don't I think?"

Will opened his mouth and I sighed.

"I don't, because I act on instinct! Will Solace, if you laugh, I will kick your ass from this cabin to the beach."

Will chuckled again and ruffled my hair. "What did you do?"

"I ran away from Clarisse with another person, but I grabbed his hands without thinking." I groaned at the memory of Jack's red face.

"Ah, you like someone!"

I sat up quickly. "I do not! I just had an awkward moment!"

Will ruffled my hair and grinned. "Sure. That's why you're still blushing."

I growled. "Oh, Solace, you better start running."

Will laughed and dodged out of the door. I gave a yell and raced after him. I felt the ground under my feet, and one of those winds rumpled my hair as I chased him.

…

"What are those idiots doing?" wondered Michael as he strolled by, joining his sister Annabeth. Annabeth shook her head.

"Those idiots, as you put it, are chasing each other, or rather, Tigris appears to be chasing Will, screaming about the tiger or something like that."

Jack was watching them with a grin, and clicked his fingers. A root tripped Tigris up and she went sprawling.

Her face took on a cute surprised look and a boy from Hermes blinked. As did everyone around her as she fell.

When Tigris wasn't frowning, or grinning like a demon… she was cute. Almost.

It was actually quite shocking.

…

I felt something grab my ankle and tripped me. My eyes widened, and I tumbled to the ground. I felt the silence before I looked up to see everyone's surprise.

"What?"

I rubbed my ankle and saw the stares.

"Yo, Solace, get your butt back here!" I leapt up, chasing after Will.

…

_Travis and Connor looked up at Jack._

"_You're serious?"_

_He nodded. "I want to see that angelic face not frowning. I want to see it shocked."_

_Pleading eyes looked up and found the mischievous grins of the Stoll brothers._

"_It's a challenge, all right."_

_**So any thoughts? I would love to hear any reviews or even suggestions, but if you flame, the tiger will accept the challenge!**_


	4. Tying up A Tiger

I frowned as I woke up, and gave a scream.

"What the hell?" The door slammed open, and Will ran over to where I was, panicking.

When he looked at me, he started laughing. "Oh dear. It serves you right for falling asleep early!"

I glared at him and struggled with the ropes that were tying me to the Hephaestus horses.

"I could die! Untie me, Solace or there will be hell to pay, and you got the wallet!"

"Relax, they only start if you say Tacos."

I felt the wheels grinding and saw my brother's face pale. "Oh no. Tell me you didn't." He nodded woodenly.

The horses gave a squeak and the prophecy thing really happened.

"The horses' will against the child's,

Driven down the hills,

Where the rocks are neatly piled,

There the child stills."

I frowned, trying to make sense of the prophecy as Will gaped. Is this it? Was it about to happen? To…me?

Then the horses took off and I gave a loud scream. Everyone turned to look as the horses dragged me first down a hill, too fast for me to put my claws on, and up towards a pile of rocks, which I promptly crashed into, bounced off of and landed in a dust patch.

The horses were about to go again when a boy came up, hopped on them, and grabbed their reigns. "Freeze!"

They slowed down to a halt, and I gave a groan. The boy tutted, untying me from his horses, and seemingly more worried about them than me.

"Are you okay?" He asked me absentmindedly, patting down the horses backs.

A surge of anger welled up in me. "Who the hell tied me to the horses?" I looked around, and the Hephaestus boy looked in my direction and stopped my struggling. "Hold, on, you're hurt! You can't be okay!"

I nodded and then winced at the grazes throbbing in protest. The boy rolled his eyes.

Will ran up. "You have a gift of prophecy!" He looked at me with eyes that shone with excitement.

"I also have wounds, and oh look, you're a healer. Whoever did this will have to run and hide. Can you freaking believe someone tied me to the horses?" I gave my brother a dark look and grinned. "Although you said the magic words as it were."

Will gulped. "How mad are you about that?"

"Very. Actually very mad. Do you really have to be such an idiot?" I tried to look angry and only succeeded in feeling woozy.

"Think I bashed my head. How'd I survive that again?" I grinned up at Will and blacked out.

…

"You tied her to the horses?!"

Jack stared in horror at the Stoll brothers.

"She'll be fine! They need a code word to start and what idiot would say that?"

Will Solace ran past them, cradling his sister, who had grazes all over and a nasty gash on her head.

"Oh, I don't know, perhaps that one?" Jack looked murderously at the Stoll brothers and snapped his fingers, brambles growing up around them. "Don't move."

He ran after her, praying she would be okay.

…

I woke up in the cabin, finding flowers all over, and Will coughing from the pollen.

"Will?"

He stopped dead in his tracks and rushed over. "Tigris!"

I felt dreadful. Everything ached. Pulling myself upwards, I managed a smile. "Sorry."

"What'd you say? Now I know you hit your head!" He grinned at me and rumpled my hair. "Don't scare me like that again, and I promise not to be an idiot. Deal?"

"Deal." I raised a hand to shake his, and he shook mine, clinging to it.

"What's with all the flowers?"

Will grinned slyly. "Oh, a Demeter boy came by with them. So, if you get bruises on your neck, I won't worry."

"My neck?" Realization hit me and I picked up a daffodil and started to hit him with it. "What the hell! Will, you're a complete moron!"

He laughed. "Oh dear, did I hit a nerve?" I gave a scream of frustration and tried to get up.

"Your brain left you behind, Will!" I limped over and Will started running in slow motion.

"Oh no, I'm so afraid!" He started going slower as I limped towards him.

"You get back here, Will!" I muttered a prayer and my ankle healed. I grinned, pretending to limp and Will stopped completely.

"Ha, Tigris, this is so pathetic-"

I leapt, catching him and Will gave a scream. I let him go and stood laughing as our cabin leader fled like a little kid.

One of my siblings, Toby, came into the cabin and gave me a strange look. "What's up with Will?"

I raised my hand and stuck my tongue out, before turning back to the flowers. All of them were beautiful, but I was drawn especially to a gorgeous bunch of sunflowers. I moved them next to my bunk, and frowned.

I loved sunflowers. I didn't think that anyone else knew that. Maybe it was an Apollo thing?

Please review!


	5. Capture The Flag

**Beta read by Dreisie, thanks! Please review after reading! I do not own Percy Jackson, just Jack, Tigris and Toby.**

The gash was the only thing that still hurt as I walked towards Capture the Flag. I winced from the pain and mulled over something.

Should I talk to Jack or not? I'd begun to feel awkward as Hades (heh, I was beginning to use the language of the demigods, whoop!) around him. I really wanted to thank him for the flowers.

And I never really say thank you to anyone. Ever. So I guess that this would be the first time.

We'd been allied with Hephaestus, Poseidon (which appeared to consist of just Percy), Athena, Ares and Hecate. We were facing Demeter (gulp, meaning Jack), Aphrodite (Those girls were fast), Hermes, Janus (until Connor pushed her as a joke. She deemed herself neutral at that point.), Hypnos (are you joking?), Nemesis (scary kids), Dionysus, Iris, Nike (oh dear gods, were they sore losers), Tyche (meaning we'd have bad luck unless the Nemesis kids stepped in), and Hebe.

I was declared a surprise resort by Annabeth. "We are a small team. We need as many surprises as possible. No grudges are to cross into this game, okay?" She narrowed her eyes into a steely glare aimed at the Ares cabin.

"You'll hide in the trees. If you mess this up, we're doomed." Malcolm continued on from his sister.

I nodded, and then frowned. "If we're facing Demeter, surely that's a bad idea?"

"Well, you're on good terms with Jack. He's their second strongest. They won't risk sending their counsellor."

I saw the logic, but my face heated up. "That's unfair!"

Annabeth sighed. "Please, we need to win this. All's unfair in war, after all." She pushed me towards the tree. "Climb. Clarisse will be in the tree opposite yours. As she hardly ever can do sneak attacks, it's another thing they won't expect."

Toby patted my back. "Come on, Tigris."

I gave in, climbing up (very uncomfortable in my thin armour as it was without the leather shin pads I'd been forced into) and settling into a comfortable sitting position. "I guess this is war, because I'm dying right here."

Toby chuckled. "Get your claws on. We'll be back in no time, right, Will?"

Will turned his head and I saw him nod determinedly. I waved happily at him and he grinned back at me.

Clarisse huffed from the tree nearby and I smiled slightly, slipping on the claws and flexing my hands. Game on.

"Sorry about before," we said simultaneously, and then burst out laughing, before trying to be quiet.

"Truce?" I asked, snickering slightly at the girl as she glared at the tree. "It won't bite you. The dryads are usually friendly."

"I guess we could call a truce. If you stop beating up my brothers."

"Oh, come on. He deserved that." Then I heard something.

I made a shushing noise and tipped my head to one side, frowning.

"Clarisse, there's someone south of us coming this way." I crouched low on the branch and Clarisse copied the movement. Connor Stoll came through the trees in front of us, and I leapt, scratching the air and pinning him with one foot to the ground.

"Hush," I whispered, smiling darkly. "We don't want anyone to hear you and get the wrong idea, now, do we?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean for the horses to run off!" babbled the terrified boy. I narrowed my eyes.

"I didn't know who had done that. How…"

I leant down and made a fist.

"…interesting," I finished. Growling, I drew my fist back, before flicking his forehead. I let him run away – right into Clarisse.

"I can't be captured by you two!" squeaked Connor. Clarisse picked him up by his shirt collar and dragged him away from the flag. I could vaguely see her draping him on a tree.

Laughing, I gave her thumbs up and climbed back into the tree. It suddenly curled around my waist and I heard snickering as I panicked, thrashing in the clutches of the branch. I saw Jack snatch the flag and scratched down the branch, the dryad screaming as I did so. I leapt, taking back the flag and kicking Jack.

"Nuh – uh, Daisy Dude."

He wrinkled his face up. "_Daisy Dude_?!"

"It works! Why the hell did you try to strangle me with a branch? Are you a sadist or something?" I stopped screaming at him and assumed the battle stance, making sure Jack kept his eyes on me.

"Sadist implies I like you."

Ouch. That was low. I stuck my tongue out. "No, it implies that you want to hurt me."

Clarisse hit him from behind, and we dragged him away from the flag.

"Are those guys even trying to capture the flag?" I asked her. She rolled her eyes.

"It seems a bit unlikely, doesn't it?" She grinned quickly. Jack started to come around and we tied him to the tree.

"Now we run. We need to defend that flag at all costs!" I nodded and followed her, climbing into a different tree this time (the dryad still looked scarily unhappy) and peered into the distance.

"Annabeth's got their flag."

Clarisse followed my gaze. "So she has…"

"And is that Drew chasing after her? Ick. I hate that girl."

Clarisse snorted. It was in agreement, I think. Drew Tanaka, the Aphrodite kid, was probably the most annoying girl on this earth. The charmspeaking? Not a cool thing.

"Oh, look. Lou Ellen slimed her. Now that's a camper with the right head on her shoulders."

Drew's high pitched screams startled the birds away as the magic slime (a weird shade of green) dripped down her hair, distracting her from Annabeth. I snickered, and heard Clarisse laughing as well.

"Oh, that's probably the best thing I've seen in a while!" Clarisse grinned. "Maybe it's not so bad being allied with them…"

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	6. Prophecies and Appearing Gods

**Beta reader is Dreisie! Thanks so much! Please tell me what you think!**

I grinned as I sat down. "So I guess your plan worked, Will."

Will nodded with his mouth full. I raised an eyebrow at him. Suddenly a cheesecake appeared on my plate. I scraped half of it into the flames by our table and then ate what remained.

"So how often does Dad come here?" I asked. I actually wanted to see him. What if he had my eyes? They were pretty damn blue, and people often thought I was a blonde without a clue (Snarl).

"Not often." Toby hugged me from behind. "Move up, little tiger."

I shuffled up and Toby let me go, sitting down next to me.

"Honestly! You two are absolutely clueless sometimes. He does come here, but only sometimes, and I mean really sometimes, not when you snap your fingers."

I made a face at him, and he shifted away a little.

"You're just mad that I captured Connor Stoll while his brother managed to trip you up seven times," I sniped back, giggling. It had been funny watching Travis sneak up behind him.

Percy edged over to our table on his way past. "Good job, Tigris. I didn't think you would actually protect the flag…"

I rolled my eyes. "Get a clue! You did ask me to, and so did Will. Honestly! Now go away! Go sit at your table. Shoo!"

Percy grinned, running off. I saw Clarisse and waved to her, making a peace sign with my free hand. She burst out laughing, waving back. I saw her brother roll his eyes and stuck my tongue out at him, and when I turned my head, accidentally caught Jack's eye.

Awkward.

I turned back to my food, face burning red. Why the hell did this have to happen? I felt embarrassed as anything around him.

Someone tapped my shoulder and I jumped. "Oh, Connor! Got over the a** kicking then?"

He frowned. "I came to shake your hand in honour."

I stuck my hand out, smiling trustingly. "Sorry. Okay."

Zap.

"But you know those things don't work when the other person is wearing one as well." I grinned down at him as he cradled his hand. "And I happen to have a sort of wax. Which means I don't get zapped."

Connor made a whimpering sound as everyone burst out laughing. "Well done, Tiger!" Will shouted.

I bowed and returned to my cheesecake, before the flames of Apollo erupted and a weird man stepped out. He was… well, he looked like a sports magazine model, but he had the look of someone who wouldn't be able to tell a joke if it bit his butt.

I frowned. "Who's that?"

Will mimed something at me, clearly speechless from shock. I made a face. "Not reading you, big brother."

Then everything got ugly, because the guy started shouting my name.

"Tigris! Which one of you is Tigris?"

I tried to find my voice but failed. It squeaked and I cleared my throat. "That would be me, uh, and you are…?"

"Oh, hey there, I guess!" He waved.

"I'm your dad." He suddenly said.

The Aphrodite cabin were whispering and I rolled my eyes. "Apparently, you don't come here because I click my fingers."

He laughed, and I blinked a little. I can't believe he just showed up here and just say "I'm your dad!".

"Sorry, it's just you are so like your mom. She used to cuss me until the air was blue…"

"No details, please. It's humiliating enough being called Tigris." I rolled my eyes again and Will smacked the back of my head. "Tiger, can it!"

"Hey! You wouldn't want to hear the gruesome details either." I huffed, a pout forming and Apollo laughed.

"Tigris, I came to ask you something. Rachel will tell you in due time, I expect, so keep an eye out for her. You see something important of mine went missing. It's very important that you find it. Great seeing you, by the way!"

He suddenly vanished, and I got another clip on the head, this time from Toby.

"What?"

"Ah, nothin', I just wanted to join in the fun." I smacked his ear and realized everyone was staring at me.

"What?"

…

The door slammed and Will stood there glaring angrily. "How could you? You just showed everyone up!"

I felt my blood boil. "Pardon my **; I just talked to my dad who's ignored me for years."

"Don't! You do not disrespect the gods!" Will's eyes blazed angrily.

I gave a snort. "Maybe you don't, but I got left. I made sure of that! Please at least pretend to understand me!" Tears sprang to my eyes and I stomped out of the door. Muttering to myself about stupid half – siblings, I avoided the look of the other demigods and snuffled, heading for the woods. I'd manage.

The stupid dragon was definitely not as fast as me.

Well, maybe.

I felt something give a pang and blinked, as I passed through the first trees into the woods. A crashing indicated the dragon's whereabouts. As long as I kept moving I ought to be fine.

I glimpsed the mortal who came to camp as I peered through the trees. So that was Rachel? She looked determined all right. She was also coming towards me.

"Tigris? Are you there?"

"No," I yelled, "Who would be stupid enough to walk about in the woods where there's obviously a mad dragon?" Another tear raced down my cheek and suddenly I was being comforted by Rachel. She wrapped her arms around me shushing me all the while as I howled like a first grader with a scrape, rocking me back and forth before letting go and standing tall. I realised she was going to do the prophecy thing.

_"The tiger shall seek the captured sun,_

_And the grain and messenger follow her trail,_

_The daughter of Apollo runs,_

_But for her father she cannot fail."_

I caught her as she fell, and tried to heal her, but she came round. "What did I say?"

I repeated the prophecy.

"Sounds like a quest about you. You can't deny it."

I turned my head to the side then gulped, feeling like I was swallowing my own tongue. I shook, the pang from earlier taking hold of me.

_"The tiger shall save the youngest of your kind,_

_But the earth shall demand a price,_

_When the child with the sun you will find,_

_You will save him with your sacrifice."_

We stared at each other and Rachel grabbed my arm. "I'll tell Chiron. You go wash your face, and get back to your cabin. Something is about to go terribly wrong, Tigris. I mean it."

I shivered as the redhead walked away from me before racing back to the golden cabin.

Will was waiting for me. "Are you okay?" He reached a hand out and I grasped it.

He frowned, as though he was trying to search my eyes. "Did something happen?"

I nodded slowly. "Another one of them, when I was…" He realised where I had been and frowned.

"I told you not to go to the woods." His tone was slightly sharp, and I realised suddenly it just meant he was worried.

"I know. I'm sorry, Will."

Toby came running, hugging me. "Don't blame her, Will! She's just a baby!"

I snorted, and swiped at him. "Who are you calling a kid?" I hugged him back, and I think Will picked up a bad vibe or something from me.

"Tigris, what's going on?"

"You'll find out soon, I guess." I wriggled out of Toby's clutches and headed towards my bunk, flopping down and falling asleep.


	7. The Dreams Of A Tiger

**Betaed by Dreisie! Thankyou! Please review.**

A tiger was running down a hill. It was aiming straight for a young boy. I screamed, trying to reach it, but thick ropes tied me to a stake hammered into the ground. And I swear the ground was holding it and chuckling, a lazy quality to its laughter. The tiger turned towards me, and then there was a sort of confusion in its eyes. I realised the ground was the enemy at that moment. A cold fear prickled down my spine when my feet touched the earth, and I motioned to the tiger to save the boy. It picked him up like a kitten and ran, as the dirt crept up my legs, hardening to rock.

_Soon, little one, I will awaken. You are a chess piece in this game. And you can't even begin to realise how powerful the words you spit out are._

I shivered, helpless, and rocked the stake back and forth. I couldn't do anything. I was just… helpless, trapped and caged. A faint sound of wings fluttered in the distance but no aid came.

A large tree which I hadn't realised was there burst into flames, and the second it fell and touched the ground, it rotted within seconds.

I felt my heart shudder slightly, and screamed from my very core.

…

"Tigris! Wake up!" Will's face was inches from mine, and he was shaking me. Concern was bright in his eyes.

"Huh… no, no," I clung to Will and started to cry, big babyish, embarassing sobs, and Will stroked my hair, shushing me. Toby woke up in the bunk near me.

"What's going on?" His voice was still fuzzy from sleep.

"Just a nightmare. Don't worry." Will said, patting my back.

I looked up at him. "There was a tiger and my legs, I couldn't move my legs, and it burned down…"

"I know you were having a dream, Tigris. You woke me up, kiddo. You were screaming."

I finally got a grip on myself and breathed out. Will patted my head. "Go back to sleep, kid."

I nodded, settling back down and praying that I wouldn't get any more dreams.

"Will?"

"Yeah?" He turned back and I coughed.

"…Thanks…"

He grinned a little, eyebrows raised slightly. "It's okay."

I reached out and made sure the sunflowers weren't on fire before going back to sleep.

…

I rubbed at my eyes and yawned, dropping my book before I realised.

"Oh, oops." Someone dove to the floor and grinned, returning it. Connor Stoll. I raised an eyebrow.

"Let me check something." I looked down and my shoelaces were tied together. I clapped slowly, and he bowed, before I went down, crouching to undo the knot in my laces. When I managed it, Connor made a face at me.

"Thanks for picking it up. No thanks for tying my shoelaces – I'm a big girl, I can do that myself now." I gave him a light punch and he winced, but he's grinning at me. Someone coughed from behind us.

"Hey, Tigris, can I talk to you a second?" Jack appeared and I blinked, walking over.

"You know he'll just try to prank you, right?" he asked me worriedly, and I frowned.

"What are you on about?"

A light pink suddenly dusted his cheeks. "I just… never mind that, I heard you scream last night. What was wrong?"

"You heard me? Oh great. Well, I just had a nightmare. That's all. What were you doing?"

"Um, reading." He pointed at my book. "I've read that, you know."

I smiled, truly and properly. "I didn't think a guy would like it."

"Oh, it's cool! I mean with the whole switching worlds thing. And the horses, oh, I loved it!"

I held it out to him. "Want to re-read?"

He smiled at me, and took the book. "Yeah. Might take me a while. I'm dyslexic, you know."

"Oh. I didn't know. I'm not, and my brother says that's rare. I feel like I've been distanced from everyone though. I don't have ADHD either."

I looked at the book in his hands after trailing off in embarrassment, the cover of Stravaganza picked out in gold. I was about to turn away when Jack touched the ground and a sunflower grew.

"That's a thank you."

I blushed bright red, and he picked it, holding it out. "Here, take it." I reached out and my hand brushed his. He turned the same shade of red as me, and I took the sunflower.

"Well, practice beckons… uh, enjoy the book."

I ran like the blazes, my face still hot with blushing. What was up with this?

I shouldn't blush around him; he's just a boy, for crying out loud. I now had more brothers than should be possible, but I'd always preferred hanging out with boys as a kid. As a tomboy, I had hated girly talk for the most part, preferring tree climbing to the Pony Club.

I looked down happily at the sunflower, before turning my mind to what I'd been avoiding. The quest.

Horses' hooves clipped towards me. Chiron's eyes watched me carefully. "I'm going to tell Connor and Jack about the quest. Usually quests are announced at the campfire. You must have accidentally set about the amount of power you have." His eyes wandered into the distance.

"Um. I really think I need to talk to you about the prophecy line that told me about… the new half-blood. I had a nightmare last night."

"Quite a common occurrence. However… my thoughts lie with what your father's problem might be."

I knew in my gut somehow. "The chariot. It's been stolen." My voice sounded weird, and Chiron raised his eyebrows.

"I see."

"I swear, I didn't know until you asked me."

Those eyes searched mine until he seemed to decide I was telling the truth. His eyebrows folded, and he turned to me. "How have you survived?"

I smiled softly. "My mother. She taught me to fight very early. She didn't hide the fact that I was a half-blood from me. She said it would be stupid for me not to know what I was up against."

Chiron made a humming sound in his throat. "She must have been a woman of strong character."

I raised an eyebrow. "I think that's an understatement."

He let me walk away as I reflected on my mother. If you have even a speck of malevolence in your heart, pray you never meet her- Chance Matthews.

She was amazing. She would teach me how to do things no one else could at my school. How to think like a hunting animal, how to read the sky for weather warnings. She taught me to fight monsters. How to balance on the edge of a slippery river bank, how to swim against a current, how to dance as you fight, to hear the rhythm of your enemy as they move.

She was an amazing judge of character, but had told me that if I didn't come home one day, she wouldn't call, as I was either safe with the camp or dead. She would wait six weeks before calling camp.

I worried a little. From the dream, it seemed as I might die before she called me. And then…

I would never see her again.


	8. Tiger and her Family

"So Chiron told me about the quest." Will looked towards me, in that direct way he always had. He looked calm, but something told me he was one unhappy camper.

I turned away. "I didn't want to. And I certainly didn't want him to, but something tells me he doesn't really mind himself." I started to stand up and Will clung onto my hand.

"You can't do this. Even if Apollo himself wants you to, you could die!"

I closed my eyes, seeing sunflowers scattered on my bunk, being swept onto the floor when the next camper came along. "I don't want to sound all gloomy, but I have to do the quest and I don't mind dying to help my father." My heart raced a little with the lie and Will tightened his grip.

"You're lying."

"For a good reason. I don't want to die, but I don't want Olympus to fall because I refused a quest. And you know I can't. It has to be a child of Apollo, you must know that. Nobody else can find the chariot." I rested my forehead on his hand. "Believe me when I say I am so sorry."

He hugged me tight, and my hair felt wet. "You are. You know you're going to die, don't you?"

I nodded, hugging him. "Don't tell Toby. Or the others. Keep it between us unless you hear someone say I'm dead, then tell him. I haven't even told Chiron."

We stayed like that, crying and hugging each other. I heard someone coming and wriggled out of Will's grasp. "Stop it, Solace, I think that's Toby. I'm going tomorrow, and I can't do anything about it."

"Run away, Tigris. Please." His tone was desperate, and I felt awful. Like when you're little and you disappoint your favourite teacher. What had I done to deserve a brother like Will? Or Toby? I shook my head, and tried to stop crying.

Toby came in and Will turned his face away. He frowned, but saw me crying.

"Don't be scared!" He gathered me up in a hug. Toby was very tall, and I was not, so it felt like I was a five year old again, which was all it took for me to break completely.

"Toby, I can't run from it. Someone else's life is riding on it." Toby stroked my head like I was just a kid and muttered that he knew. Someone knocked on the door and I wiped my face quickly, Toby understanding and letting me go. I opened the door, and Jack smiled at me, a sunny smile.

"Hey! I've got supplies. Do you want me to help you pack?" I nodded, and he walked in slightly nervously. "Hi, Will. Toby."

Will didn't answer him, but Toby waved a little, hugging me from behind.

"Oh, you must be happy when your boyfriend's here…" he whispered. I smacked his ear and he laughed. He was trying to cheer me up, and I blushed hotly, a little angry that I was blushing in front of Jack.

"Connor is procrastinating, but he's not the one who's on their first quest." Jack picked my backpack up. "Is it all right if I bring the book with us?"

I nodded, checking my backpack. "I already have a few in there, so one less in that bag makes it a bit easier. I was wondering if there was anyone in Hephaestus Cabin who could upgrade my knife and bow."

Jack hummed a little as he thought. "I'd say… Liam. He's a nice guy. Bit obsessed with deadly surprising features, so a brilliant person to upgrade your arrows etcetera. For your knife, I'd ask him just cover it in bronze."

I nodded. "Okay."

Will cleared his throat. "I can do that. You stay here, tiger."

I gave him a little smile, and he rummaged beneath his bunk and produced a book. "Here. Never read it, thought you might need something for the road."

He tossed it towards me and I caught it, and gasped. "Will!"

It was a book I'd said I wanted – Fever Crumb. Will had disappeared by taxi that day. Never read it my foot. He had probably bought it for me knowing him. Tears spurted from my eyes as I stared at it, and I flung my arms around his neck, crying again.

"I'm sorry, Will! I promise I'll come back!" I felt tears drip onto my orange shirt as my brother cried as well, holding me like he would never let go.

…

Tigris stared, her fingers gripping the book before tears started to trickle down her cheeks. Jack stared in surprise, not used to seeing her cry. She threw her arms clumsily around Will's neck before they both burst out crying. He saw how tightly Will clutched her, and knew how Will felt, having a few younger demigod siblings.

He patted Will on the shoulder. "I'll take care of her, Will. Everything will be fine!"

Tigris suddenly hugged him and he gaped. Will grinned slightly before picking up a bow and quiver along with Tigris' knife and heading out of the door. Toby coughed a little, and Tigris hurriedly let him go.

"Sorry." It was muttered, and even her ears were red, outlining a scar on her cheek in white as she blushed. It was thin and looked like a claw had hit her. He rather wished she hadn't let him go but turned back to helping her pack.

He felt his face flame and roots sprang up from the floorboards as he realised what he had wished. Whoops. Bad thoughts.

Toby laughed and skipped out of the door. "I'll go help Connor. You stay here and help baby sister."

She shrieked angrily. "Toby Allistor! I swear, my wrath will know no bounds!" She ran after him and tripped over a length of twine.

"CONNOR STOLL! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU LITTLE DEVIL?" She raced after her brother, and Connor could be seen running from the blonde as well.

Jack smiled, before realising that a little miniature rose had bloomed in the floorboards. Ack! He picked it and stuffed it in his pocket, and blushed very red.


	9. Tigers and Travel, Oh Dear

**Thanks to Dreisie, my dreadful writer's block has been cured. Praise be for beta readers!**

**And massive thanks to anyone who reviewed/ reviews this. It's encouraging!**

I looked at the van, biting my lip and sweating. The last time I had been in a vehicle, remember, it had been driven off of the edge of a cliff. This was a rickety old thing that had strawberries painted on the side and the man in the driver's seat was Argus. He's covered in eyes and he doesn't like me for some reason (okay, so maybe I did ask him where he wore reading glasses) so forgive me if I wasn't exactly willing to let him drive me to what I already knew was my doom.

I glared at him, and all of his eyes glared back at me. He was smiling at Jack, but he was scowling at Connor as well as at me. We pulled a face and Chiron came forward.

"Argus will drive you east where the sun will rise so you can catch whoever has stolen the chariot. It might be a dangerous journey, so I need to check that it is one you are ready to take."

I flexed my now clawed hands and checked my knife was in its holster. My bow was slung across my back and my quiver was full of arrows that looked more like bombs by the time Liam had finished with them. "Yes."

Connor grinned. "As if you have to ask!"

Jack smiled, and untangled a strawberry plant from his foot. "I may as well keep an eye on these two."

We turned around and he laughed. "I mean, of course I'm ready!" He grinned and opened the van's door.

"Whoa. I said I was ready for the journey. I didn't say that I wanted to ride in the van. That doesn't look roadworthy to me. I am not getting in the van."

Oh dear. Never say that in front of two boys who think that the quest you are embarking on is very important. Those two picked me up bodily, and slung me in the back of the van. They totally looked like creepy kidnappers.

Once in the van, I glared at them. "You're evil." The door had slammed shut behind them too, I might add.

"Yeah, we feel just sooooo bad about that…" Connor grinned, and I smacked the back of his head 'accidentally' as the van took off. It rumbled along the road and I dug a book out of my bag, settling in a corner to read (and sulk).

"Hey, we needed to go on the quest!" Jack said defensively. I pretended not to hear them and turned a page. He appeared rather suddenly in front of my face as the van swerved. I went red, scrambling out of his way and leaning up so my face was behind the driver's seat.

"What's happening?" I asked Argus. He glared, and pointed to another car. I sank back into the corner and began to read again. The boys started to discuss weapon strategies, which irritated me to no end, but I concentrated on the story of Fever Crumb. I gasped a little two hours later when she died, and breathed a sigh of relief when she was brought back to life. Closing the book, I looked up, and suddenly felt odd.

"What the hell is that?" screamed Connor, pointing towards a blur that had raced past. I zipped my book away and grabbed the bow, stringing an arrow and waiting for Argus to stop. Wheeling around, he vaulted into the back of the van. He drew a wicked looking sword and opened the door.

At this point, we were in a desert like place along a motorway. I don't know how far we'd driven. We might have even been lost, but Argus calmly stepped out, motioning for us to follow.

I spotted a blur again, spinning around to position my arrow towards it. It was golden, and racing towards us.

"Daisy Dude, cover my back." I grinned at Jack and ran towards the blur.

Now, I am almost fearless, but I felt a shiver when I saw this thing. It had a lion's head with a golden mane, a creepy goat's head, and what looked like a golden snake's head for its tail. I tried to aim my arrow for the goat but that was when the bloody thing _barbequed _my arrow, growling at me and slowing down. It snorted, roared and hissed, three pairs of eyes glaring towards me. Sparks spat out of the lion's mouth, and I felt a little bit of fear as I picked out a heat seeking missile arrow. Yeah, there's a reason Liam was expelled from his last school, but he was a god to me at this moment in time.

I drew back the string, focusing on its middle and gripping the bow wood with my other hand. Exhaling, I released the arrow, and watched as a beautiful scene unfolded in front of my eyes. The arrow was released from the missile, and carried on towards its mark. The chimera tried to burn the arrow. The missile then headed towards it and exploded, hitting the thing, and then…

Then the snake head turned the arrow to ash. Oh, damn. Damnity, damnity damn. That was no snake. That was a bona fide, hellish, extremely dangerous…

I began to run back. "DRAGON! THAT'S A DRAGON CHIMERA! EVERYBODY DOWN! THIS AIN'T GOING TO BE PRETTY!" I tackled Jack as Connor hit the dirt and looked around for Argus.

The fool was running _towards _the chimera, and I got up. "What the hell?" I started to run towards him, hoping to reach him before the chimera did. It was wounded, and unhappy, and really seriously not safe to be around. As he picked it up, I watched in horror as simultaneously he threw it down with enough force to snap all three necks and the chimera blasted our camp's bodyguard with a column of fire. He howled in agony as the chimera turned to a thick powder that blew into the wind on the backlash of the chimera's flame. I raced to his side, screaming his name and racking my brains for a healing spell, dimly aware of Connor and Jack getting up and racing over to join me.


	10. Tiger on a trip

**Beta reader is Dreisie! Please read, and then review!**

I flung water in the air. "Oh Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering!" A drachma sailed through, and "CHIRON at CAMP HALF BLOOD!"

Chiron blinked, and turned around, seeing me and the boys with Argus. His eyes widened. "What in Zeus' name happened?" I felt tears of guilt run down my face.

"We were attacked and I tried to take it out by myself. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!" I fell into awkward racking sobs and Chiron frowned. "What happened then?"

A hand landed on my back and I heard Jack speak. "Argus ran and tried to stop the chimera after Tigris retreated, but it opened fire on him. He'll be fine, I think. Tigris can heal him once she's recovered. I'm not sure that Argus will be okay, but I think that we can drive…" We all heard the hissing and looked around. Chiron blanched as we all saw the chimeras. I squeaked out a healing prayer, reaching a hand out to Argus and seeing it work.

We all stood up, Argus standing in front of us as the spell took effect.

"You need to go, now!" He shoved us towards the van, and glared at us. "I can hold these off. You have to head east!"

I grabbed his arm. "No freaking way. We don't want to leave you and we don't know which way east is!"

He shook me off, with a scary expression. "DO AS I TELL YOU!" He pointed towards the road. "Follow that until the sun rises. You have to go now!"

I sliced at a chimera with my claws, and Argus pushed me towards the van. "Go, quickly!" The boys pulled me into the van and Connor pushed me into the passenger seat, while Jack strapped me into the seat. I slammed up against the window.

"Argus!" I saw him holding his own against the chimeras as Connor started up the engine, and he was lost to the dust as we sped away from the battle. I tried to fight against Jack, who was holding my arms back so that I couldn't undo the seatbelt, but to no avail; I was stuck in this van for a while.

…

After I had calmed down to a reasonable state where I no longer threatened Jack with disembowelment and blinding, he let go of my arms and motioned me to the back of the van.

"You're tired, Tigris. You need to rest." He produced a sleeping bag from his backpack and Connor sighed heavily.

"A knight in shining armour, huh?" We saw him rolling his eyes in the rear-view mirror, and Jack glared at him. I wasn't quite sure what they were on about, but I did know that Jack was right. I'd worn myself out with the hysterics and needed sleep so desperately. My eyelids felt like lead, and I couldn't actually concentrate on anything that was being said.

I think I fell asleep round about then.

…

Jack looked down at Tigris, blonde hair falling around her face and a softer expression, which made him smile. She was kind of adorable when she was asleep; it was like all the fierceness left her. He was called out of his thoughts by Connor saying his name.

"What?" he asked him. Connor sighed, a smirk worming its way onto his face.

"I said it's creepy that you're watching her sleep. Also, you're smiling in a really weird way which, believe me, does not help your situation."

Jack blushed bright red. "It isn't like that at all!" He tried to fight the inner voice warning him that Connor's smirk meant he shouldn't have said anything.

"Your loss, dude. If you don't want to go out with her then I might just stir things up a bit." The Hermes boy grinned devilishly at him, causing Jack to go pale.

"What does that mean?" he asked him nervously. Jack really didn't like the look of that smirk. Connor just shrugged.

"You'll have to wait and see…" he sang in a mocking tone, causing Jack to shiver and place a hand on Tigris' shoulder.

Worst. Idea. Ever.

…

I tried to shake Jack's arm. "I'm sorry; I really thought that I had told you!" Jack kept his eyes trained on the book, and replied without looking up.

"You threw me across the van; therefore I will not forgive you."

I honestly had not meant to. If someone shakes me awake, I'm fine with that. If they try to do so softly, I'm afraid I try to harm them in any way possible. I wasn't even conscious when I threw him across the van, and I woke up when I heard him screaming and Connor laughing his head off.

It wasn't a very masculine scream, either. Pointing this out really hadn't helped me.

I smiled at him hesitantly. "I promise that I'll try not to do it again!"

He closed his book and showed me a purple bruise on his arm, which I promptly healed.

"I didn't want you to heal it! I wanted you to see what you've done!" Jack huffed.

I sighed. This was going to be a long journey…


	11. Tiger Cub

**Beta reader: Dreisie**

**Author: RapunzelInTheSnow**

**Rating: T Because of reasons like angst and drama involving demigods with claws.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not Rick Riordan. I don't own Percy Jackson just my OC's Tigris, Luca, Jack, Toby and random cabin people. Also the chimera. **

**Seriously. Own Percy Jackson I do not.**

As sunset made its way towards the end of the road, I felt a spark of anger flare into life. Who the hell is this person riding the chariot?

While I'd never seen it, I know that it's my father's. He might not be a great guy, but he was family, and I was going to kick hijacker butt when I got out of this damn strawberry van.

Connor screeched to a halt. "There. They're up ahead. Can you run that fast?"

I slid open the door and glared. "Watch me." I ran faster than I had when the chimeras hot on my trail, angrier than ever. Everyone doubted my loyalty to the camp and my father, and it was royally annoying. I mean, I went to the damn camp, I saw my father without strangling him for the lack of support or visits (although I sassed him) and I took up this quest knowing it would lead to my death. I began to feel the flare build up to an inferno of rage.

I was Tigris Matthews. I was a demigod who had survived without help. I was strong, and they thought me so weak willed as to abandon a quest? They could stuff that thought and serve it on a Sunday!

The chariot was in car form – a rather ostentatious sports car, obviously Daddy Dearest's choice rather than the driver's, and I grabbed the door, intending to rip it off to reach the driver before I looked at him.

I saw him, strapped to the seat, terrified and bound with thick ropes, and felt very cold all of a sudden. I collapsed as he started to cry, clutching the door like a lifeline.

He's the boy I'd seen in my dreams.

Once he was untied (by Jack, I could hardly move) he began to sob out his story. He was seven years old. He had been caught by a sleepy lady (his words) and tied to the car. It had hurt him, but he was somehow able to control it. He'd driven it back and forth for about two weeks. Every sunset the sleepy lady came with food.

Only last night she hadn't come and the little boy had been cold, frightened and alone. Not to mention hungry. When he'd seen me in all my tiger fury, he'd thought he was about to die.

"I was not going to kill you," I sputtered out, and he hugged my waist.

"I know! My name's Luca Smithson. What's yours?" he asked, little blond locks falling into his eyes as he looked up brightly. He had deep amber eyes that looked like honey. I ruffled his head.

"Tigris Matthews. Sorry, but you were driving my dad's chariot. He's been a little off without it."

Luca looked up at me with a confused look. "But it's my dad's chariot."

I cuddled him protectively. "I know. I'm a child of Apollo as well." He flung his little arms around my neck and looked up at me with those big, honey coloured eyes.

"That's what the sleepy lady said I was. But if Apollo is your dad, what does that make you?"

I grinned at him as he ran his chubby little fingers along the scar on my face, seemingly fascinated by what I considered an ugly mark of battle.

"I'm your big sister." His eyes widened, although it scarcely seemed possible, and he clung to me suddenly. Jack coughed, apparently unnerved by the family scene.

"If we attach the chariot to the back of the van we can tow it back to camp." Connor's voice cut through the air sharply, revving the engine. I remembered the last lines with horrible certainty.

_When the child with the sun you will find_

_You will save him with your sacrifice._

I clutched at Luca suddenly as his grip on me tightened. Both of us seemed to be able to sense something wrong, as Connor and Jack hitched the sun chariot to the back of the van. I wanted to shout out and warn them but it was like one of those horrible dreams where you can't move. I tried again and again to speak, before Luca screamed in fear as a wind whipped up a dust cloud. A woman's face appeared, smiling drowsily.

_So you took the bait, little tiger_. Her smug face was terrifying Luca, and I felt myself suddenly freed. "JACK! CONNOR!" I screamed. The sound of the van driving struck a sickening panic in my gut. They wouldn't… They might drive away without me if pressed, but surely not without a seven year old demigod?

Vines ripped through the dust cloud and the woman's face disappeared. Oh, but she wasn't done yet. The vines began to rot and crinkle, and Jack fell to the ground, shuddering like he was having a seizure. I tried to run to him and the dust poured into Luca's screaming mouth. He began to cough, and I felt tears sting my eyes.

"LEAVE THEM ALONE!" I screamed, and felt a weird tug in my gut. A growling voice spoke from me.

"Darkness and destruction have no place here. The new queen rules now, Dirt Queen." It was insulting and threatening, warning the woman like a poker player might warn his opponent in all good humour, or a shark warn a human to come no closer. A series of white spots began to creep around in front of my eyes. Lazy laughter drifted from the gathering dust.

_What can you do? Heal me until I beg for mercy? Spout prophecies until my ears bleed?_

Luca choked a little as Jack shook on the ground and I cursed Connor Stoll for abandoning us, although I knew this Dirt Witch probably had something to do with it. I let my anger pour into my entire being and the white dots blinded me, searing heat burning along my arms and legs.

**DUNDUNDUUUUUUNN! Cliffhanger, hope you like adventures so far. It won't end after the quest is completed, never worry…**

**Or maybe it will (evil laughter).**

**Snow out!**


	12. The last Light

A tiger leapt from the glowing light surrounding Tigris, growling at the sleepy face in the dirt and burning very brightly, until silently the woman retreated, glaring all the while through closed eyes. It seized Luca and pressed a paw to his chest until the little boy threw up beside Tigris, unwell but alive. Jack's shuddering lessened and he finally gasped for breath. His eyes opened and he was thankful to still live.

"That was terrifying. I wonder why Connor ran off?" he asked. Looking up, he saw Tigris falter as the tiger vanished and she fell.

Leaping up, he stumbled and nausea threatened him. Luca made a face as he looked down at himself.

"Ick," he said rather mournfully, and Jack helped him out of his t shirt and draped a jacket around him. Looking to Tigris he realised something was horrible, terribly wrong.

She lay very still, almost as if she was asleep, and he ran to her, while Luca walked towards them slowly.

"Jack? What's wrong?" he asked, fear in his voice, while Jack checked for an absent pulse.

No, no. This couldn't be happening. It just could not happen to Tigris, Tigris who fought for her life. She would never give up so easily.

He was aware of Luca peering at her body, and he hugged the smaller boy awkwardly.

"Don't look." The boy was too young to know death in all its finality.

The sound of a van alerted him to Connor's return. The boy leapt out, shaken and swearing until he gained control, looking at Jack with a pale face.

"Hey, what the Hades happened? The van started driving by itself and…"

Jack understood instantly. Gaia had made the van drive away and made it seem like they were being abandoned. He should have known that the son of Hermes would never abandon them for a few seconds safety.

Connor caught sight of Tigris and he went even paler, rushing over as if he could help. Jack pushed Luca towards him and picked up Tigris' body, and propped it up so it seemed like she might just be asleep.

"She'll wake up, Connor. I know she will. She's not…" His voice broke and they started to drive back, Tigris never waking.

…

When they returned to camp, Chiron awaited them, along with a heavily bandaged Argus.

"Where is…" Chiron stopped as he saw Luca and the chariot. So the quest was completed.

Then as the campers began to gather, he saw Jack grimly bringing her body out of the van. He looked in shock. She could not be dead?

He noted her pallor and looked aghast, just as Toby and Will caught up with the rest. Will screamed, low and full of grief, while Toby stared in disbelief with tears running down his face. Percy held Annabeth's hand tightly as the blonde girl cried openly, and Clarisse buried her head in Chris' shoulder. The sorrow spread among the campers like a fever, all crying for their lost comrade.

The daughter of Apollo was dead, and not even the gods could have brought her back.

…

Apollo looked anxiously around for his daughter as he stepped into his chariot, but the tear-stained faces warned him against it. Rachel was weeping into her shawl and even Will was now crying.

"My daughter…" He murmured it in shock, and turned to Jack.

"She's dead?" He didn't need to hear the answer, he knew already, but Jack nodded, and he felt grief wash over him.

"No, it can't be…"

…

Will picked up a sunflower from Tigris' vase and left it on her bunk, bowing his head. A thousand memories of her flooded into his mind, and he thought he saw her.

Suddenly, a glare landed on his neck, and he spun. There stood his sister, royally cheesed off and slightly glad to be there.

"I hope you know that when I woke up it was a nasty shock to everyone, and you didn't even go near my near dead self? You are in so much trouble, Will Solace, brother of mine!"

He couldn't believe it until she flung her arms around and hugged him.

"The Fleece revived me… and I owe my life to it. To you too, I fought against being dead because of my family." Tears crept into his neck and he finally flung his arms around her, sobbing until she slowly let go.

"Sorry for scaring you."

**So, how is that for an ending? Nice?**

**I will write more later but not for a while, kay?**

**Snow out, for the count**


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